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Former ESPN star Suzy Kolber has lifted the lid on her tumultuous exit from the network back in 2023, revealing that she 'lost it' with execs after discovering her fate.
Kolber, 62, originally joined the network in 1993 as a co-host for ESPN2's SportsNight before later becoming an anchor on SportsCenter and a College GameDay reporter.
However, in 2023, Kolber was among 20 on-air employees, along with Jalen Rose and Steve Young, who were let go by the network during a brutal period of layoffs.
Lifting the lid on her exit, the former anchor recounted - on 'Sports Media with Richard Deitsch' - the moment she knew that her time had come to an end.
She recalled: 'He [ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro] said, 'Suzy there's a whiteboard and your name's on it. I don't really know for sure right now but your name is on it.'
She claimed that she later spoke to another network boss, who did little to reassure her that she would be kept on by the 'Worldwide Leader.'
Former ESPN star Suzy Kolber has lifted the lid on her tumultuous exit from the network
Kolber, 62, originally joined the network in 1993 as a co-host for ESPN2's SportsNight before later becoming an anchor on SportsCenter and a College GameDay reporter
'I remember that day sitting next to my daughter in the kitchen. For years I've said 'You never know.' And I sat down next to her and I cried. And I said, 'I think this is really happening,'' she said.
Kolber then recounted the moment ESPN executive Norby Williamson asked to call her on the matter. Having been mentally prepared, she said she was calm about it.
However, the 62-year-old revealed that she 'lost it' with Williamson when she was told that she could not say 'anything disparaging about the company.' If she did, she claims that they threatened to 'take the last year of your contract.'
'I have never said one negative thing about this company. Do you think I'm going to start now?' she said.
She added that Williamson allegedly told her that ESPN had no plans to 'say anything' about her layoff or her 27 years of service at the network.
'I'm a human, it just, that hurt. Why not?' Kolber said.
'I just thought after 27 years of, I was the first person hired for the launch of ESPN 2. I was the first person assigned to the X Games,' she went on.
'I went and shot the marketing tape for it. 'Monday Night Football's' move to ESPN, I was part of some pretty big franchises. You're not going to say a word? Not thanks for 27 years, just acknowledge it? I didn't understand that.'
She claimed that she was informed ESPN would not 'say anything' about her 27 years there
Her candid admission comes shortly after another brutal round of layoffs at ESPN. During which, ex-NFL star Ryan Clark discovered that he had been let go while still on-air
Her candid account of her exit comes off the back of another round of layoffs at the network, which saw Ryan Clark shockingly discover his fate while on-air.
However, a month on from his exit, he recently revealed that he's taking his popular podcast 'The Pivot' to Netflix, after the show ended its relationship with Fanatics.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back hosts the show alongside ex-NFL linebacker Channing Crowder and ex-Jaguars running back Fred Taylor.
Netflix and the people behind the podcast agreed to a multi-year partnership which will bring video episodes to the platform beginning September 8, according to Boardroom.
The hosts will stream new episodes exclusively every Tuesday and Friday. The show's back catalog is also going to move to Netflix, while also remaining on YouTube.
Clark will also give Netflix first-look rights on all new content from Pivot25 Productions, a company he co-founded with Alicia Zubikowski. Bonus episodes will be produced by Netflix.
